Country Standard Time CD Reviewshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/cdreviews.asp
Country music CD reviews from CountryStandardTime.comCopyright 2007, Country Standard Time18 Jan 2019 07:25:36 GMT18 Jan 2019 07:25:36 GMT60Alice Wallace: Into the Bluehttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6840
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6840California country singer-songwriter Alice Wallace is back with her fourth album, as "Into the Blue" marks her debut for the female-owned Rebelle Road label, a group intent on giving women a stronger platform in music. Wallace has a deeply emotive voice that conveys the imagery of California on several songs, notably "Santa Ana...Country Music NewsRonnie Milsap: Ronnie Milsap: The Duetshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6835
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6835Is Ronnie Milsap proud of his age? For a clue, look no further than the name of his "76 for 76" Tour. There are some other numbers the North Carolina native is probably fond of, such as 40 number 1 records or 6 Grammys. Milsap's qualifications for the Country Music Hall of Fame were such a no-brainer they left electors with no...Country Music NewsBalsam Range: Aeonichttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6832
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6832Formed in 2007, Balsam Range already earned many international Bluegrass Music Association Awards across six albums. On their seventh, the acoustic quintet features four-part harmonies on most tunes, while the prevailing instruments are fiddle, mandolin, banjo, upright bass and guitar. Balsam Range is Buddy Melton (fiddle, vocals), Darren Nicholson (mandolin, vocals), Dr. Marc Pruett (banjo), Tim Surrett (bass, Dobro, Weissenborn, vocals) and Caleb Smith (guitar, vocals)....Country Music NewsMitchell Tenpenny: Telling All My Secretshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6826
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6826Mitchell Tenpenny is yet one more artist stretching the definition of country music - nearly to the breaking point. While he sings with a distinctly enjoyable, Otis Redding-like soulful voice, the arrangements to these songs on his second album feature far more pop than twang. Steve Earle famously commented how contemporary country music is...Country Music NewsVarious Artists: Dumplin' Original Motion Picture Soundtrackhttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6820
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6820Dolly Parton's soundtrack to the movie "Dumplin'" includes a whole lot of Dolly music, both old and new. This movie tells character Sillowdean "Dumplin'" Dickson's story of participating in a local beauty pageant. The catch to this adaptation of Julie Murphy's young adult book is that Dickson is a weight-challenged girl and not the usually slender pageant participant....Country Music NewsGlen Campbell: Sings for the Kinghttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6823
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6823At first glance it may seem an unlikely connection, that which tied Glen Campbell, the so-called Rhinestone Cowboy, with the undisputed King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley. Nevertheless, it was a relationship that spawned several years, mostly during Elvis' lean period in the mid '60s and Campbell's tenure as part of that famed...Country Music NewsTaylor Martin: Song Dogshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6816
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6816Among the many musical treasures from Asheville, N.C. is one of its best, already veteran, and still growing songwriters, Taylor Martin. The Richmond-raised, 14-year resident of Asheville has tapped into the local music scene in a major way, but also brings the spirit of the West, having spent five years in Utah and influences of southern rock...Country Music NewsKip Moore: Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessionshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6812
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6812Kip Moore's greatest musical selling point is his raspy singing voice. Much like Bob Seger long before him, his is a vocal tone that gets your immediate attention every time you hear it. This EP-length project presents Moore in a quieter setting than usual. That distinctive voice is unavoidable, though, whether revved up or tamped down....Country Music NewsOld 97's: Love the Holidayshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6811
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6811"Love the Holidays" may read like one of those old timey Christmas album titles. You know, those sanitized, safe for the whole family song sets. Granted, there's nothing particularly family unfriendly on this seasonal collection; however, it's still a fairly typical Old 97's album. Vocalist Rhett Miller is just too angsty to ever make completely overjoyed, celebratory music. This album is typical Old 97's music, in the best sense of the term....Country Music NewsTellico: Woven Watershttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6818
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6818Tellico hails from that bastion of bluegrass and hybrid bluegrass, Asheville, N.C. to deliver its sophomore album "Woven Waters.'' This effort melds their rather inherent bluegrass affinities with British Isle influences, courtesy of producer and bouzouki player Irishman John Doyle. Under Doyle's direction, chord choices and...Country Music NewsKane Brown: Experimenthttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6809
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6809There's not a lot of room for argument to say that men singing country music today are different than the stars on the old Porter Wagoner show. Many have ditched the cowboy hat. They're hip-hop fans, video game junkies and spent most of their teenage money on tattoos. Kane Brown checks all these boxes and more. He's biracial, for...Country Music NewsGranville Automatic: Radio Hymnshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6810
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6810Songwriters Vanessa Olivarez and Elizabeth Elkins form the duo Granville Automatic, the name borrowed from a 19th Century typewriter. And, as you might guess, leaning on a name like that, they love to write about history. "Radio Hymns" is a journey into Nashville's storied past, beyond the glitz of neon, cowboy hats and Lower Broad to some earlier tales of dark times. Theirs is a side of Music City that few have heard....Country Music NewsRodney Crowell: Christmas Everywherehttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6807
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6807Rodney Crowell's "Christmas Everywhere" is a (mostly) melancholy collection of songs, with Christmas time as its setting. It's a strong set of carefully worded tunes, set to widely varying musical backings. All 12 tracks are originals, so if you're seeking out 'Rodney Crowell performs holiday favorites,' this is certainly not for you....Country Music NewsThe Mavericks: Hey! Merry Christmas!http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6790
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6790Sometimes, musicians create holiday albums, and it's obvious to the listener the act is breaking character. Maybe they just want to make a buck off the seasonal experience, so they'll put on ill-fitting red clothes and play the part. With "Hey! Merry Christmas!" by The Mavericks, though, one finds another fine album by the group, which just happens to be comprised of songs that concern Christmas....Country Music NewsRosanne Cash: She Remembers Everythinghttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6778
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6778Rosanne Cash's "She Remembers Everything" kicks off with "The Only Thing Worth Fighting For," which features the opening line, "Waking up is harder than it seems." This admission foreshadows a mostly joyless collection of songs. (If) she remembers everything, well, here's to forgetting....Country Music NewsWhitey Morgan and the 78&#039;s: Hard Times and White Lineshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6824
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6824Whitey Morgan's fourth studio release exhibits the singer/songwriter's reverence for outlaw country and southern rock. The influence of Hank Williams, Jr. is evident on the opening "Honky Tonk Hell" with lyrics that evoke the Eagles and Elvis Presley ("You'll never check out of this heartbreak hotel"), while "Bourbon and Blues" gives a shout out to Hank Sr. ("I keep gettin' the same advice Hank Williams never used")....Country Music NewsRoland White & Friends: Tribute To The Kentucky Colonelshttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6821
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6821The storied history of The Kentucky Colonels - Roland and Clarence White, Roger Bush, Bobby Slone, Billy Ray Latham, LeRoy Mack and others - goes back to 1954 when the California-based White Brothers decided music making was for them. With just two albums to their credit, "The New Sound of Bluegrass America" and "Appalachian Swing!", The Bluegrass Colonels influenced generations of bluegrass players following in their wake....Country Music NewsChely Wright: Santa Will Find You!http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6815
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6815Thoughtful may not always be a word applied to holiday music. Capitalization may be a more utilized descriptor. Nevertheless, Chely Wright's "Santa Will Find You" is a brief, but considerate collection of Christmas-inspired songs. The title track was written with military personnel in mind. Santa Claus will reach military men and...Country Music NewsJosh Turner: I Serve a Saviorhttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6787
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6787When Josh Turner reaches down to sing "swing low" during "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," he has the sort of deep voice that can do this chorus's low notes justice. Turner isn't shy about his Christian faith, which makes all of these "I Serve A Savior" songs ring true. Then with this title track, Turner pours on...Country Music NewsEddie Heinzelman: Wherever You Gohttp://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6785
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=6785If you're at all familiar with session guitarist Eddie Heinzelman, it's from his fine work, both in the studio, and live in a duo format with Radney Foster. This is Heinzelman's second solo album, "Wherever You Go," an upbeat, rocking outing. There's plenty of his blazing guitar, mostly electric on these 10 songs. It's not a pure country effort at all, although it's in the mix alongside Americana, roots rock and some extended jamming too....Country Music News